San Joaquin County Biographies
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
IRA W. LADD.
Passing away in his seventy-ninth year, Ira W. Ladd left behind him a
record of success and great worth and esteem among all with whom he had had
relations of a business or personal character, and it is safe to say that few of
the California pioneers passed their careers in greater usefulness to home and
community than did Mr. Ladd. He came to California seventy years ago, when a lad
of about fifteen years, but sturdy and independent, and from the first showed
his ability to paddle his own canoe. He came to California with his brother,
the late George S. Ladd, in 1852, coming via Panama from Vermont, his native
home and the abode of his ancestors for some generations back. His father,
Seneca Ladd, had come from Vermont to California in 1850, but had returned to
old home state in the same year that his sons ventured out to seek their
fortunes in the Golden West. Seneca Ladd remained in Vermont until his death, in
1868. His wife was Parmelia Esterbrook, and they were both natives of the Green
Mountain state.
Ira W. Ladd was born in Caledonia County, Vt., February 26, 1837. He was
deprived of his mother's tender care when he was nine years old, and all
conditions worked together to push him out of the home nest at an early age,
thus he became very self reliant. He lived in his native state receiving a good
education and when he was fifteen years old, he joined his brother on the ever
memorable voyage to the Western Coast. For several years after arriving in this
state he was engaged in various lines of employment. In 1856 he came to
Stockton, and for some years thereafter was engaged principally in freighting
from that point to the Southern mines. During the '70s he located on the ranch
now owned by his daughter, Lillie I. Ladd, where with the exception of a few
years spent in Stockton he resided and centered his activity until his death in
1916. The home ranch comprises 368 acres of land under an excellent state of
cultivation, and he also owned 800 acres in Solano County as well as land in
Fresno and Merced counties.
He was married on March 7, 1858, to Miss Emily J. Southerland of
Stockton, a daughter of Jacob Southerland, deceased, a well-known pioneer of San
Joaquin County. Mrs. Ladd accompanied her parents across the plains to
California in 1852, coming by the old southern route. Five children were born to
Mr. and Mrs. Ladd; Lillie I. is the owner of the Ladd homestead near Stockton;
Addie A., Mrs. W. C. Salmon, deceased, survived by two sons, Ira T. residing at
Coalinga, and William L. who is manager on the Ladd homestead, having made his
home with his aunt, Miss Lillie Ladd, since his mother's death when he was three
years of age; Fred G. is married and has two children and they reside at
Coalinga; Emily J., Mrs. Walter Vincent, has three children and they reside in
Stockton; Ira G. is deceased. Mrs. Ladd passed away on May 21, 1908, at the age
of sixty-seven, while Mr. Ladd survived her until he was seventy-nine years old,
passing away on March 8, 1916, at his beautiful ranch home southeast of
Stockton. Mr. Ladd served as a trustee of the neighboring Weber school district
for many years, and always took an active part in the educational affairs of his
locality. He was a Republican in politics and fraternally was affiliated with
Stockton Lodge No. 11, I. O. O. F., and was well known through his section of
the state. He was a member of the San Joaquin Society of California Pioneers and
Mrs. Ladd was one of the charter members of the auxiliary of the same society.
Since her father's death Miss Lillie I. Ladd has successfully handled the
extensive interests left by her beloved parent and is worthily perpetuating the
Ladd name in the locality where he was so long an honored citizen. She has a
fully equipped wireless station at her residence on the homestead, demonstrating
that she is far ahead of many in seeing the value of modern science in business
as well as pleasure.
History of San Joaquin County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co.,
1923
p 643
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.